The invention relates to an orthodontic device comprising a dental plate formed from plastic or the like and adapted to fit the jaw. For example, The plate may have along its side edges one or more wire clamps fixed thereto and destined to be positioned around and/or between at least a number of molar teeth and along the front edge, anchoring means fixed to the dental plate and destined to grip fittingly around at least a number of teeth.
Such devices are known in practice and literature, (see for example FIG. 1 of the Dutch Patent Application No. 79 03644) and are used in particular for straightening children's teeth. Instead of wire clamps other means may be used.
The principle of such devices is that from a fixed anchoring means, the lateral elements such as cuspidati, praemolars and molars are displaced to distal or to mesial by means of wire clamps.
In practice as anchoring means, a wire clamp is generally used gripping fittingly around a number of front elements. The front edge of the dental plate presses against the rear side of the front elements. Said known device has several disadvantages.
In the first instance, the device should be made fitting in the mouth of the patient by the doctor and thereafter should be touched up once again outside of the mouth. This is inconvenient for the patient and the treatment is naturally extremely expensive.
Further, the risk of loss of anchoring is very high.
Another objection is the less finer appearance of the known devices because of the visible wire clamp around the front side of the front elements. Moreover, problems often arise with the lips of the patient because the wire clamp is relatively thick, approximately 2-3 mm.